St Barbara, St Dorothy And St Agnes 

Editor: This oil painting presents three figures, "St Barbara, St Dorothy, and St Agnes", created by Edward Burne-Jones. It definitely has this dream-like, medieval quality, doesn't it? The colors are so intense, but everyone looks so...resigned? What is it about this that captures your attention? Curator: It's the air of reverie, I think. They stand on this plane between worlds, almost floating. It pulls you in, doesn't it? Tell me, what objects do you see, and what stories might they tell? Editor: Well, I see that St Barbara is holding a sword and a little cherub is giving her flowers. Agnes has a lamb, and Dorothy's got...a book and a quill, is that right? It all feels very symbolic, but I'm not sure what it *means*. Curator: Exactly! Each attribute speaks to their story, their faith, their ultimate sacrifice. Think of Burne-Jones diving deep into the medieval imagination, but painting it with a modern, almost melancholic sensibility. The lamb signifying innocence, the sword a brutal martyrdom…and then there’s this androgynous angel offering flowers. Do you find it comforting? Or does it enhance the melancholy? Editor: It’s strangely both, actually. Like beauty blooming even in sadness. So, Burne-Jones is taking these familiar figures and… making them relatable, human, even in their saintliness? Curator: Precisely! It is about finding echoes of timeless themes, sacrifice, beauty, grace, in his world – and, maybe, nudging us to find them in ours. Editor: That’s beautiful. I was focused on the sorrow, but seeing it as a reflection of enduring themes makes it resonate so much more.